An x-ray imaging apparatus and associated methods are provided to receive measured projection data in a primary region and measured scatter data in asymmetrical shadow regions and determine an estimated scatter in the primary region based on the measured scatter data in the shadow region(s). The asymmetric shadow regions can be controlled by adjusting the position of the beam aperture center on the readout area of the detector. Penumbra data may also be used to estimate scatter in the primary region.

System and method of more efficiently identifying and segmenting anatomical structures from 2-D cone beam CT images, rather than from reconstructed 3-D volume data, is disclosed. An image processing system receives, from a cone beam CT device, at least one 2-D x-ray image, which is part of a set of x-ray images taken from a 360 degree scan of a patient with a cone beam CT imaging device. The x-ray image contains at least one anatomical structure such as vertebral bodies to be segmented. The received x-ray is then analyzed in order to identify and segment the anatomical structure contained in the x-ray image based on a stored model of anatomical structures. Once the 360 degree spin is completed, a 3-D image volume from the x-ray image set is created. The identification and segmentation information derived from the x-ray image is then added to the created 3-D image volume.

First projection images are recorded. The first projection images map an examination object along different first projection directions. A corresponding respective second projection image is recorded for at least two first projection images. The first projection images each have a first focus point, and the second projection images each have a second focus point. Each of the second projection images together with a corresponding first projection image at least partially map a common part of the examination object about a stationary center point. The second projection images map the examination object along second projection directions that are mutually different and at least partially different, relative to the respectively corresponding first projection directions such that a straight line through the first focus point and the second focus point of the mutually corresponding first projection images and second projection images extends through the stationary center point. The 3D image dataset is reconstructed.

A device and methods for performing a simulated CT biopsy on a region of interest on a patient. The device comprises a gantry (22) configured to mount an x-ray emitter (24) and CT detector (26) on opposing sides of the gantry, a motor (28) rotatably coupled to the gantry such that the gantry rotates horizontally about the region of interest, and a high resolution x-ray detector (172) positioned adjacent the CT detector in between the CT detector and the x-ray emitter.

A multimodal imaging apparatus, comprising a rotatable gantry system positioned at least partially around a patient support, a first source of radiation coupled to the rotatable gantry system, the first source of radiation configured for imaging radiation, a second source of radiation coupled to the rotatable gantry system, the second source of radiation configured for at least one of imaging radiation or therapeutic radiation, wherein the second source of radiation has an energy level more than the first source of radiation, and a second radiation detector coupled to the rotatable gantry system and positioned to receive radiation from the second source of radiation, and a processor configured to combine first measured projection data based on the radiation detected by the first detector with second measured projection data based on the radiation detected by the second detector, and reconstruct an image based on the combined data, wherein the reconstructing comprises at least one of correcting the second measured projection data using the first measured projection data, correcting the first measured projection data using the second projection data, and distinguishing different materials imaged in the combined data using the first measured projection data and the second measured projection.

Systems/techniques that facilitate correction of intra-scan focal-spot displacement are provided. In various embodiments, a system can access a first gantry angle of a medical scanner. In various aspects, the system can determine a first displacement of a focal-spot of the medical scanner based on the first gantry angle, by referencing a mapping that correlates gantry angles to focal-spot displacements. In various instances, the system can compensate, via one or more focal-spot position adjusters of the medical scanner, for the first displacement.

The invention relates to a method and apparatus for control of a charged particle cancer therapy system. A treatment delivery control system is used to directly control multiple subsystems of the cancer therapy system without direct communication between selected subsystems, which enhances safety, simplifies quality assurance and quality control, and facilitates programming. For example, the treatment delivery control system directly controls one or more of: an imaging system, a positioning system, an injection system, a radio-frequency quadrupole system, a ring accelerator or synchrotron, an extraction system, a beam line, an irradiation nozzle, a gantry, a display system, a targeting system, and a verification system. Generally, the control system integrates subsystems and/or integrates output of one or more of the above described cancer therapy system elements with inputs of one or more of the above described cancer therapy system elements.

An x-ray imaging apparatus and associated methods are provided to execute multi-pass imaging scans for improved quality and workflow. An imaging scan can be segmented into multiple passes that are faster than the full imaging scan. Data received by an initial scan pass can be utilized early in the workflow and of sufficient quality for treatment setup, including while the another scan pass is executed to generate data needed for higher quality images, which may be needed for treatment planning. In one embodiment, a data acquisition and reconstruction technique is used when the detector is offset in the channel and/or axial direction for a large FOV during multiple passes.

An exemplary focused tomography system comprises an x-ray transmitter that is configured to emit a radiation beam and an x-ray detector that is configured to detect incident radiation from the radiation beam. The system further includes an adaptive collimator device arranged between the x-ray transmitter and the x-ray detector and a controller device connected to the x-ray transmitter that is configured to cause the x-ray transmitter to emit the radiation beam at a first radiation dosage level when a path of the radiation beam intersects a region of interest of the subject and cause the x-ray transmitter to emit the radiation beam at a second radiation dosage level when the path of the radiation beam does not intersect the region of interest of the subject, such that the second radiation dosage level is less than the first radiation dosage level. Data within the region of interest can be reconstructed with image quality equivalent to traditional computed tomography scans.

A device and methods for performing a simulated CT biopsy on a region of interest on a patient. The device comprises a gantry (22) configured to mount an x-ray emitter (24) and CT detector (26) on opposing sides of the gantry, a motor (28) rotatably coupled to the gantry such that the gantry rotates horizontally about the region of interest, and a high resolution x-ray detector (172) positioned adjacent the CT detector in between the CT detector and the x-ray emitter.